Safe deposit apparatus

ABSTRACT

A safe deposit apparatus includes a rotary drum providing a receptacle into which the deposit is placed. The receptacle includes a reciprocatory ejector plate for ejecting the deposit when the drum is rotated into a discharging position. The ejector plate is actuated by a cam mechanism in accordance with the rotation of the drum, the ejector plate being retained by the mechanism in a position flush with the surface of the drum until the drum is returned to a receiving position.

Jan. 8, 1974 United States Patent [1 1 Markham 1,853,485 4 1932 Yeo109/66 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS SAFE DEPOSIT APPARATUS [75]Inventor: Michael H. Markham, Rexdale,

Ontario, Canada Chubb Industries Limited 217,320 12/1909 232/50 325,3612/1930 Great Britain........................ 109/66 [73] Assignee:

Brampton, Ontario, Canada July 28, 1972 Primary Examiner-Bobby R. GayAssistant ExaminerPeter A. Aschenbrenner {22] Filed:

[21] Appl. No.: 276,148

[57] ABSTRACT safe deposit apparatus includes a rotary drum providing areceptacle into which the deposit is placed. The receptacle includes areciprocatory ejector plate for ejecting the deposit when the drum isrotated into a discharging position. The ejector plate is actuated by[51] Int. [58] Field of Search 47,

a cam mechanism in accordance with the rotation of the drum [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS the ejector plate being retainedby the mechanism in a position flush with the surface of the drum untilthe drum is returned to a receiving position.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures DeBoer et l/l960 Blauvelt.. 8/1949 Adams.8/1959 2,901,165 Krug....... 3,031,133 4/1962 Jones PATENTEI] JAN 8 I974SHEET 1 0F 4 PATENTEU JAN B" SHEET 2 BF 4 PATENTED JAN 8 I974 SHEET (IF4 SAFE DEPOSIT APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a safe deposit apparatus, and is concerned particularly withbank depositories of the type which enable depositors safely to makedeposits after banking hours.

Many banks provide a supplementary safe or vault Within the bank whichconnects with an outside entrance by means of a chute. At the entranceto the chute a lockable receptacle is provided which is movable from acharging position, in which a depositor may place a deposit in thereceptacle, to a discharging position in which the entrance is closedand the deposit is dropped through the chute into the safe or vault.Normally the receptacle is locked in the discharging position by akey-operated lock operated by the depositors key.

Bank depositories of the type referred to frequently do not provideadequate security against theft. Thieves in possession of keys to suchdepositories have been known to unlock a receptacle after a deposit hasbeen made and recover the deposit from the receptacle. In certain casesin which the deposited items were bulky they became wedged in thereceptacle, making the task of recovery very simple. In other cases,thieves have been known to place adhesive in the receptacle, thusensuring that deposits would be retained. However, even in cases inwhich the deposited items have been discharged via the chute, thieveshave been able to fish up deposited items by means of cords with a bagor hooks on their lower ends, the cords being suspended in the chuteprior to a deposit being made by an unwary depositor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safe depositapparatus which eliminates the possibility of theft by these methods.The object is achieved using a minimum number of parts, thus providing arugged unit which lends itself to economical manufacturing methods.

A safe deposit apparatus according to the present invention includes arotary drum providing a receptacle into which the deposit is placed viaan access opening, and a reciprocatory ejector plate which ejects thecontents of the receptacle when the drum is rotated to the dischargingposition, the ejector plate being retained in a position in which itcloses the access opening until the drum is again returned to itscharging position. Preferably the casing structure in which the rotarydrum is mounted provides a cowl positioned to sweep the surface of thedrum and the ejector plate, as the drum is returned to its chargingposition, so as to shear any cords or wires which might have beensuspended in the chute and to clear any items adhering to the ejectorplate.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, one embodimentthereof will now be described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus with the apparatus dooropen and the drum in the receiving position; 7

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus showing thedrum, casing structure and hinged door;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus 1 when locked;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the apparatus in which the drum isrotating from the discharging position to the receiving position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the apparatus with the drum in thereceiving position;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the apparatus with the drum rotatingtowards the discharging position;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the apparatus with the drum approachingthe discharging position immediately prior to locking.

The safe depository illustrated in FIG. 1 is mounted in the exteriorwall 10 of a bank. The apparatus comprises a cylindrical drum 11 mountedin a casing structure 12 for rotation about a horizontal axis, thecasing structure having an external face panel 13. The face panel 13defines a rectangular entrance opening 14 which is normally closed by ahinged door 15 in the conventional manner. In order to make a deposit adepositor must unlock the door 15 by means of a key, ans swing the dooropen to the position shown in FIG. 1. Opening of the door 15 causes thedrum to rotate, as hereinafter described, to bring the entrance of areceptacle or receiving chamber 16 in register with the entrance opening14 as shown. When the deposit has been made, the door 15 is raised toits closed position, the drum 11 thereby being rotated to bring theentrance of the chamber 16 into register with an exit opening at theback of the casing, the exit opening communicating with the safe orvault by means of a chute.

Referring now to the drawings generally, but more particularly to FIG.2, the casing structure 12 defines a horizontally oriented cylindricalcavity in which the drum 11 is rotatably mounted, the cavity and thedrum having a common horizontal axis XY. The casing structure 12comprises a pair of flanged, vertical side walls l7, 18, a floor 19, anda roof 20. A cylindrical cowl 21, having front and rear horizontal edges22, 23, is rigidly connected to the roof 20. The front edge 22 defineswith the side walls 17, 18 and front flange 19a of the floor 19 theentrance opening indicated by the general reference 14 in FIG. 1. Therear edge 23 defines with the side walls 17, 18 and the rear flange 19bof the floor 19 the exit opening which registers with the chute (notshown). The door 15 is provided with a pair of stub shafts 24, 25 whichengage in bushings 26, 27 in the side walls of the casing, the bushingsdefining a hinge axis WZ.

The drum 11 is of welded metal plate construction. It comprises acylindrical plate 28 and a pair of end plates 29, 30. The horizontaledges 28a, 28b of the plate 28, constituting the cylindrical drum wall,define with the end plates 29, 30 a rectangular opening providing accessto the receptacle or receiving chamber 16. The receiving chamber 16 isrectilinear and has a floor and a ceiling constituted by a pair ofparallel plates 31 and 32 respectively, within the drum 11 andterminating at the edges 28a, 28b.

The stub shaft 25 is keyed to the hub 33 of a gear quadrant 34, whichmeshes with an idler gear 35, the idler gear 35 being mounted on a fixedstub 36 and meshing in turn with a pinion 37. The drum 11 has a pair ofstub shafts 38 (only one being shown in FIG. 2) which are journalled inbushings 39, 40. One of the stub shafts 38 is keyed to the pinion 37.Therefore, when the door 15 is opened and closed, the drum 11 isreciprocated between a first, receiving position in which the accessopening of the chamber 16 registers with the entrance opening 14, and asecond, discharging position in which the access opening registers withthe exit opening leading to the chute.

Within the chamber 16 is a curved plate 41, hereinafter called anejector plate, whose function is to eject the contents of the chamber 16into the chute when the drum is rotated into its second position. The.ejector plate 41 is backed by a frame 42 mounted on rollers 43; therollers run on rails 44 extending along the chamber. A roller 45connected to the frame of the ejector plate is contrained to movelinearly along a slot 46 in the end wall 30 of the drum 1 1. A similarroller and slot are positioned in the same way on the opposite end wall29 of the drum, but are not visible in the drawings. The ejector plate41 is thus reciprocally movable between a first position spaced from theaccess opening, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, and a second positionflush with the access opening, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the firstposition the ejector plate forms an end wall to the chamber 16, and inthe second position it lies flush with the drum surface, providing acontinuation of the cylindrical wall 28, and thus denying access to thechamber.

On each of the side walls l7, 18 of the casing structure 12 are mountedthree cam tracks 47, 48, 49 (or 47' 48' 49' the rollers 45 beingengageable with these tracks in turn according to the rotary position ofthe drum.

Referring now to FIG. 3, which shows the drum 11 in its second position,the ejector plate 41 is in its second or forward position where it liesflush with the cylindrical surface of the drum. The hinged door is inits closed position. In order to gain access to the receiving chamber adepositor must open the door 15. Opening of the door 15 causes the drumto rotate in the anticlockwise direction, as shown in the drawings, thedrive being effected through the gearing 34, 35, 37, or alternatively bymeans of a direct chain drive. One stage in the anti-clockwise rotationof the drum is illustrated in FIG. 4. It will be observed that for thegreater part of this movement the rollers 45 are'in engagement with thecam tracks 48, 48 these cam tracks being coaxial with the drum itself.Thus the ejector plate 41 is retained in the forward position. It willalso be observed that the cowl 21 sweeps the surface of the drum and theejector plate during such movement; this ensures that no deposited itemscan be returned to the entrance opening 14.

As the drum moves into its first, or receiving, position, the rollers 45leave the cam tracks 48, 48' and pass onto the linear cam tracks 49, 49'In this position the rails 44 and cam tracks 49, 49 are inclineddownwardly towards the rear of the casing, and'the ejector plate andframe assembly returns freely to its second position under gravity. Thisposition of the drum is shown in FIG. 5. The drum is balanced by twosteel bars 50 which extend for the full length of the drum, these beingarranged so that the drum goes through its cycle of operation in ashock-free manner. In this position of the drum the ejector plate 41 isspaced from the access opening and provides an end wall to the chamber16. The depositor can now make his deposit and reclose the door 15.During the reclosing of the door 15, successive stages of which areillustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the final stage being illustrated in FIG.3, the drum is again rotated by the gears 34, 35, 37, this time in aclockwise direction as viewed in the drawings. The rollers 45 remain atthe rear ends of the slots 46, the ejector plate and frame assemblybeing gravity biassed to its rear position. The ejector plate thereforedoes not move in the chamber. At one position during this movement ofthe drum the rollers 45 engage and move past a pair of spring loadedpawls 51. Thereafter the drum is prevented from returning to itsreceiving position until the contents of the chamber have been ejectedby the ejector plate 41. Such ejection is effected in the last part ofthe drum movement as the drum is moved into its receiving position. Atthis stage the rollers 45 engage the cam tracks 47, 47' and followingthese tracks they urge the ejector plate into its second position toexpel deposited items from the chamber. It will be apparent that thereis no way in which the deposited items can be recovered through theapparatus. Before the drum can be returned to its first position, thereceiving chamber must be cleared; furthermore, any items which mightadhere to the ejector plate are necessarily removed from the plate,during return motion of the drum, by the shearing action of the cowl 21.I

Thus the invention provides in a safe deposit apparatus a rotaryreceptacle having an ejector which is operated positively in accordancewith rotary movements of the receptacle by the engagement of a camfollower or roller with a succession of cam tracks.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Safe deposit apparatus comprising a casing having an entrance openingand an exit opening, a rotary drum mounted in the casing for rotationabout a horizontal axis, means defining a rectilinear chamber within thedrum, the chamber having an access opening which registers with theentrance opening in a first position of the drum and with the exitopening in a second position of the drum, means for reciprocating thedrum between said first and second positions, a reciprocatory ejectorplate defining an end wall of the chamber, the ejector plate beingmovable between a first position spaced from said access opening and asecond position flush with said access opening, a first cam trackmounted on the casing, a cam follower connected to the ejector plate,the cam follower being engageable with the first cam track duringrotation of the drum into the second drum position whereby to urge theejector plate into the second ejector plate position, a second cam trackmounted on the casing, the cam follower being engageable with the secondcam track during rotation of the drum from the second drum positionwhereby to retain the ejector plate in the second ejector plateposition, and a third cam track mounted on the casing, the cam followerbeing engageable with the third cam track upon rotation of the drum intothe first drum position to cause the ejector plate to move to the firstejector plate position.

2. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ejectorplate is gravity biassed towards its first position.

3. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 2, in which the drum has 5cylindrical wall and a pair of flat end walls, and in which the ejectorplate is a curved plate which lies flush with the cylindrical wall ofthe drum in its second position.

4. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 3, in which the casingprovides a cylindrical cowl disposed adjacent the cylindrical wall ofthe drum, the cowl being positioned to sweep the ejector plate when thedrum is rotated from the second to the first drum poition.

5. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 4, wherein one end wall ofthe drum provides a rectilinear slot, the cam follower being constrainedto move along said slot.

6. Safe deposit apparatus comprising a casing structure, said casingstructure defining a cylindrical cavity having an entrance opening andan exit opening, a cylindrical drum mounted coaxially within the cavityfor rotation about a horizontal axis, means defining a rectilinearchamber within the drum, the chamber having an access opening whichregisters with the entrance opening in a first position of the drum andwith the exit opening in a second position of the drum, means forreciprocating the drum between said first and second positions, a curvedejector plate defining a convex end wall of the chamber, the ejectorplate being constrained to reciprocate between a first position spacedfrom the access opening and a second position in which it lies flushwith the cylindrical surface of the drum, the ejector plate beinggravity biassed towards its second position, a first cam track mountedon the casing structure, a cam follower connected to the ejector plateand engageable with the first cam track during rotation of the drum intothe second drum position for urging the ejector plate into its secondposition, a second cam track mounted on the casing structure, the camfollower being engageable with the second cam track during rotation ofthe drum from the second drum position for retaining the ejector platein its second position, and a third, linear, cam track, the cam followerbeing engageable with the third cam track when the drum is rotated intothe first drum position to permit movement of the ejector plate into itsfirst position.

7. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 6, including aspring-loaded pawl engageable with the cam follower during rotation ofthe drum towards the second drum position whereby to prevent returnmovement of the drum prior to the ejector plate being urged into itssecond position.

8. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the casingstructure provides a cylindrical cowl constituting a wall of said cavityand disposed adjacent to the drum surface, the cowl being positioned tosweep the ejector plate during movement of the drum from the second tothe first drum position.

9. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the drum is ofwelded metal plate construction comprising a cylindrical wall having anopening therein, a pair of flat end walls, and a pair of parallelinterior walls terminating at the edges of the opening and defining saidrectilinear chamber.

1. Safe deposit apparatus comprising a casing having an entrance openingand an exit opening, a rotary drum mounted in the casing for rotationabout a horizontal axis, means defining a rectilinear chamber within thedrum, the chamber having an access opening which registers with theentrance opening in a first position of the drum and with the exitopening in a second position of the drum, means for reciprocating thedrum between said first and second positions, a reciprocatory ejectorplate defining an end wall of the chamber, the ejector plate beingmovable between a first position spaced from said access opening and asecond position flush with said access opening, a first cam trackmounted on the casing, a cam follower connected to the ejector plate,the cam follower being engageable with the first cam track duringrotation of the drum into the second drum position whereby to urge theejector plate into the second ejector plate position, a second cam trackmounted on the casing, the cam follower being engageable with the secondcam track during rotation of the drum from the second drum positionwhereby to retain the ejector plate in the second ejector plateposition, and a third cam track mounted on the casing, the cam followerbeing engageable with the third cam track upon rotation of the drum intothe first drum position to cause the ejector plate to move to the firstejector plate position.
 2. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the ejector plate is gravity biassed towards its first position.3. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 2, in which the drum has scylindrical wall and a pair of flat end walls, and in which the ejectorplate is a curved plate which lies flush with the cylindrical wall ofthe drum in its second position.
 4. Safe deposit apparatus according toclaim 3, in which the casing provides a cylindrical cowl disposedadjacent the cylindrical wall of the drum, the cowl being positioned tosweep the ejector plate when the drum is rotated from the second to thefirst drum poition.
 5. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 4,wherein one end wall of the drum provides a rectilinear slot, the camfollower being constrained to move along said slot.
 6. Safe depositapparatus comprising a casing structure, said casing structure defininga cylindrical cavity having an entrance opening and an exit opening, acylindrical drum mounted coaxially within the cavity for rotation abouta horizontal axis, means defining a rectilinear chamber within the drum,the chamber having an access opening which registers with the entranceopening in a first position of the drum and with the exit opening in asecond position of the drum, means for reciprocating the drum betweensaid first and second positions, a curved ejector plate defining aconvex end wall of the chamber, the ejector plate being constrained toreciprocate between a first position spaced from the access opening anda second position in which it lies flush with the cylindrical surface ofthe drum, the ejector plate being gravity biassed towards its secondposition, a first cam track mounted on the casing structure, a camfollower connected to the ejector plate and engageable with The firstcam track during rotation of the drum into the second drum position forurging the ejector plate into its second position, a second cam trackmounted on the casing structure, the cam follower being engageable withthe second cam track during rotation of the drum from the second drumposition for retaining the ejector plate in its second position, and athird, linear, cam track, the cam follower being engageable with thethird cam track when the drum is rotated into the first drum position topermit movement of the ejector plate into its first position.
 7. Safedeposit apparatus according to claim 6, including a spring-loaded pawlengageable with the cam follower during rotation of the drum towards thesecond drum position whereby to prevent return movement of the drumprior to the ejector plate being urged into its second position.
 8. Safedeposit apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the casing structureprovides a cylindrical cowl constituting a wall of said cavity anddisposed adjacent to the drum surface, the cowl being positioned tosweep the ejector plate during movement of the drum from the second tothe first drum position.
 9. Safe deposit apparatus according to claim 8,wherein the drum is of welded metal plate construction comprising acylindrical wall having an opening therein, a pair of flat end walls,and a pair of parallel interior walls terminating at the edges of theopening and defining said rectilinear chamber.